8 Incredible Swimsuits Designed for Breast Cancer Survivors

The inspiring Monokini 2.0 project comes courtesy of a group of Finnish fashion designers.

An amazing new project, Monokini 2.0, courtesy of Finnish artists Tärähtäneet Ammät and Nutty Tarts "re-examines popular culture's narrow view of a woman's ideal appearance." In particular, it "[strives] to expand what is accepted and considered beautiful by designing a swimwear collection for women who have gone through breast cancer."

Ammät and Tarts commissioned a group of Finnish fashion designers to create a collection of stunning, avant-garde swimsuits — all designed specifically for women who've undergone mastectomies. "The fact is that many women who have had one breast removed due to breast cancer don't wish to have breast reconstruction surgery," Monokini's art directors explain, "they wish to continue their lives with one or no breasts at all." The Monokini Manifesto explains further:

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"We think that the current focus on a breast-reconstruction after mastectomy as the only way to a full life, is a breast-fixated way of seeing what a woman is. We want to incite a positive self-image of breast-operated women by showing that you can be whole, beautiful and sexy even with just one breast or with no breasts at all. Our other aim is to dig into the restrictive social taboo on what is considered appropriate — of exposing something that is not there. Seeing an exposed breast is considered nakedness, but why is exposing no breast also considered nakedness?"

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So depending on your response to that manifesto, the photos below might contain nudity, or they might not. Either way, they are beautiful and incredibly empowering:

"It was an amazing experience to be part of a project as great as this. I hope my participation gives strength and courage to my sisters in [the] same situation. Living with one breast can be amazing!" — Virve.

Elina, swimsuit designed by Elina Halttunen (Halttunen is credited with first envisioning the Monokini collection).

"I do not want to hide, I do not want to stop swimming, I do not want to undergo extensive plastic surgery operations, and I do not want to be forced to use an uncomfortable prosthesis on the beach. I want to feel as free and active as I did before my cancer." — Elina